Bacteria Can Consume Used Plastic And Turn It Into Medicine
Researchers have a new way to make one of the most commonly used pain relievers, out of plastic that might otherwise end up in landfills.
This Solar Powered System Can Help Address Both Plastic Waste And Greenhouse Gases
Too much waste plastic? Too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Researchers in the UK may have a partial solution for both problems: a process that uses solar energy to convert plastic and greenhouse gases into useful products.
How To Make Protein Powder Out Of Waste Plastic
It's not a direct route, but two researchers have figured out a way to take waste plastic, feed it to special bacteria, and then end up with nutritious protein powder.
The Plastic Bags Of Today Could Be The Fashionable Fabric Of Tomorrow
Those bags that we don't want to throw out but can't always easily recycle? We might end up wearing them.
Turning Plastic Into Jet Fuel, In About An Hour
Researchers at Washington State University have found a way to convert plastic waste into jet fuel that takes only an hour. And it's also less energy-intensive, which could make recycling plastic more cost-effective and more common.
The “Mutant Enzyme” That Helps Recycle Plastic
A company called Carbios says it’s been using what it calls a “mutant enzyme” to break plastic down into the components to make new plastic in mere hours.
Lego Bricks Could Last Longer Than A Millennium
Researchers have been studying LEGO longevity! Don't put them in the ocean, because they could last hundreds or even thousands of years - instead, maybe build something really cool to share with future generations.
Recycled Milk Bottles Apparently Make Great Road Surfaces
In South Africa, a construction company has started producing and using a more eco-friendly asphalt that contains plastic pellets that come from recycled milk bottles.
Turn Those Old Straws Into New Albums
The Straw Vinyl project has lined up some high-profile bands to release limited-edition vinyl records that are made out of plastic harvested from old straws. Then your hipster friends can say they were into keeping straws out of landfills before it was cool.
To Get Plastic Out Of The Ocean, Put It On A Plane
Researchers at Washington State University say they’ve found a way to make jet fuel out of something the world throws out in great quantities every day: household plastic.